What's New at Appalachian Outfitters SC

Happy New Year!

2012-01-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from all of us at Appalachian Outfitters. Wishing you many happy adventures in 2012! Thank you to everyone for your continued support, we love being part of your outdoor lives.

Great Outdoor Gift Ideas!

2011-12-14T09:15:00.000-08:00

Great Gift ideas for all your outdoor friends and family. Check out this link: http://conta.cc/rDtzqA, or stop by the shop! See you soon.

Holiday Hours:

Monday - Saturday: 9 am - 8 pm

Sunday: 11 am - 6 pm

App Out Elves Working Late...

2011-12-09T18:54:00.000-08:00

The App Out Elves have been working late this Friday night to stock up for Great Outdoor Gifts: Acorn slippers and socks, The North Face Microfleece pullovers, Patagonia Better Sweaters, Therm-A-Rest sleeping pads and more... Open Saturday 10 am - 7 pm and Sunday Noon - 6 pm.

What's new for you.

2011-12-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

We love Saturday Fedex deliveries! We've just finished unpacking a new supply of The North Face Women's Denali Jackets, and Men's and Women's TKA 100 Mocrofleece Pullovers. Also in today are more Patagonia Women's Re-Tool Pullovers and Men's Synchilla Snap Tees.

2011-11-25T13:50:00.000-08:00

Being a small business has given us the ability to know you and to help make your outdoor adventures the very best they can be. We believe the personalized outfitting we provide each of our customers honors the heritage of the finest outdoor brands and allows you the opportunity to experience life-changing active adventures outdoors. Please visit us and help us celebrate Small Business Saturday, November, 26th.

To find out more click here: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.smallbusinesssaturday.com%2F&h=2AQHyFhuhAQEg7SNuFiD71_r3_XSN_NjVyfH7TTbw7E644w

Thanksgiving Season Specials and more!

2011-11-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

Check Out our latest news about Thanksgiving Specials! Enjoy your Turkey Day. We look forward to seeing you.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Thanksgiving-Season-Savings.html?soid=1101574146503&aid=_sQcouKFeb8

17th Anniversary Sale

2011-10-27T07:22:00.001-07:00

Thank you Greenville for 17 AMAZING years!
(and we look forward to at least 17 more!)

This October marks the 17th anniversary of our little shop’s opening & we’re having a “Birthday Celebration of Savings”. The best part is that y’all are invited . . . invited to save a bundle on some of the best stuff around that is! Beginning now through Sunday, November 6th, you can walk away with some CRAZY deals. Actually, we’ve never had a sale this HUGE! Check out the great deals below and we’ll look forward to seeing you soon.

17th Anniversary Savings:
-All Lowa boots 40% OFF
-All Life is good summer tees 50% OFF
-Go-Pro Cameras 20% OFF
-All Sun-hats 30% OFF
-All Asolo boots 40% OFF
-All Teva sandals 40%-50% OFF
-Gregory Z-series packs 40% OFF
-ENO Hammocks—Buy any hammock & get Slap Straps for $15
-Buy any sleeping bag & take $15 OFF any sleeping pad
-Most Deuter packs 40% OFF
-Large assortment of Vibram Five Fingers 40% OFF
-Select Osprey travel packs 40% OFF
-All tents 15% OFF
-Selected daypacks from The North Face, Mountain HardWear, and Marmot up to 40% OFF
-Selected Spring footwear up to 50% OFF

2011-09-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

Check Out our new Appalachian Outfitters Tee.

Darn good advice!!

2011-09-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

We've been unpacking a ton of new fall outerwear this week. We're really excited about all of the new styles and colors. Here's something new Women's Patagonia Re-tool Snap HOODIE! Diana's trying one out. We've also just unpacked Better Sweaters, Nano Puff Jackets and Vests, The North Face Osito Jackets and Venture Rainwear (perfect for the week we're having!) Also new ahts and gloves in case you're ready to head for the hills. Stop by and see what's new!

Go-Pro - Be a Hero! They're Here.

2011-08-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Be the star of your next adventure. These things are awesome. GoPro is the best choice in wear-able cameras for any outdoor sport. They’re used by hundreds of professional athletes everyday to get the shots that make us want to be outside. You can remember just how it was when you skied, biked, surfed, kayaked, ANYTHING. GoPro cameras shoot HD video and 5 megapixel stills from a waterproof housing. Make you friends jealous!

This week's new arrivals

2010-12-11T07:41:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

This week we've been frantically unpacking new warm and fuzzy fleece jackets and hats, and loads of new gear just in time for gift wrapping. We now have a great selection of Therm-a-rest sleeping pads and accessories, Cocoon pillows for camping and travel, Sea to Summit travel gear, Platypus water reservoirs, MSR stoves, The North Face sleeping bags and much more. We've unpacked shipments of popular styles of jackets from Mountain Hardwear and Patagonia, and loads of socks from Smartwool and Wigwam. Appalachian Outfitters gift boxes are available!

Holiday Hours now until Christmas Eve:

Monday - Saturday: 10-8

Sunday: 12-6

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2010-11-25T12:15:00.000-08:00

The Thanksgiving holiday turns our hearts and minds toward family, home, country, and friends. It reminds up to be grateful for all we have been given. For over 16 years Appalachian Outfitters has had the good fortune to have customers (friends) like you. So many of you have come into our new location on Halton Road and have said things like, "We're so happy for y'all!" You're enthusiasm and excitement over the store's new home humbles us and indeed makes up thankful to have nice folks like you in our lives.

We'll be open at 8 am on Friday.

Thanksgiving Weekend Hours:
Friday 8am - 7pm

Saturday 10am - 7pm

Sunday 12pm - 6pm

2010-10-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

We Have Moved!

We are now open for business in our new location at 191 Halton Road. Many thanks to all of our co-workers and dear friends who helped us move all of the store's merchandise one mile down the road in less than 30 hours! We are celebrating our Grand Re-Opening and our 16th anniversary in business now through the end of the month with some great deals on cool gear.

Help us have less to move!

2010-10-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

We've been finishing the last few projects at our new location and we're moving this weekend. Come in this Friday, October 15th and Saturday, October 16th and save 10% storewide on the last two days we'll be in our Orchard Park Drive location. We'll have less to move on Sunday!

SPOT2 Device availability

2010-04-21T04:44:00.000-07:00

Howdy Folks,
I just wanted to give you a heads-up about availability of the SPOT2 Emergency Device that we have had on backorder for months. This morning, I received an e-mail from the Southeastern Sales Manager, Rich Galasso that reads:

"Jonathon,
Sorry about the delay and you are correct that we have been able to start getting units out into the field. The reality is that we have almost 20k units on back order with some outstanding po's dating back to November. We have been chipping away at this mountain for about two weeks now (shipped about half) and hope to be fully caught up by the end of this month. I will make an effort to get you out at least some units A.S.A.P. to help you with any pressing customers but please appreciate that we're filling the orders in a FIFO fashion and dealing with the exceptions as best as possible.
I appreciate your business and ask for your continued patience, we're almost whole."

Those of you who are interested in a SPOT2 device and are not on our "will-call" list, please let us know that you want one of the units asap.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Fall Reflection of Purpose (after 15 years of service)

2009-11-20T15:12:00.000-08:00

We believe it’s important to take time to reflect on what you are doing and why. The following are some core values we believe are essential to our commitment to you:

-We believe being outdoors is an essential part of making life better.
-We want everyone to experience it with safety, comfort and fun, respecting and preserving natural places for the future.
-To achieve these goals we provide the best value to our customers by seeking products of unquestionable quality and matching these appropriately to each person needs.
-The only way to meet these goals is by personal attention to each person’s outdoor endeavors.

We’re committed to these values and they’re our reason for being here. We hope to see you soon and look forward to hearing about your next adventure.

Update from Russ in Europe

2009-10-02T02:49:00.000-07:00

This has been awesome! Amsterdam is on my list of places to go back to! So much to see, and so little time. Just finishing up Germany, tomorrow we go to Strasburg, France for a canal ride & city tour, then to see the Maginot Line. Today was Ruins and Cathedrals in Heidelberg. Earlier, we toured Cologne & Koblenz. Awesome sunny and warm weather here, will cool off in Zermatt! More later

We spent a week in Amsterdam (and the surrounding area), walking, riding trams, & cruising all over the city. We saw all the Old & New churches, all the old buildings, the breweries, the wind Mills, the shopping areas, museums, the Red light district, and cruised the canals. The best of all was walking along all the canals in the Jordaan. The scenery, the architecture, the history, and did I mention the bars & cafes? And the bicycles!!!! They are everywhere! Awesome! We traveled north for a few days to Noord Holland (the North coast, great people, fishing villages, more history). Finally we returned to Amsterdam for a day, before getting on our river cruise ship & heading up the Rhine.

Strasburg, France. . . WOW!!!!!!

Awesome is all I can say! Well, touristy & expensive too, but it's the off season, so it's not too bad. The views from anywhere in Zermatt are awesome. The buildings, the mountains the snow, the Glaciers... I take pictures everywhere I go!

So far we walked all over Zermatt, then took 3 gondolas up to Glacier Paradise at 3883 meters to check out the views (The highest Gondola in Europe). I was dumb struck by the views. Watching the skiers & hikers, looking down into Switzerland and Italy, checking out the mountains and the Glaciers... There are no words for how pretty it was.

The lowest temps so far have been 32, so I got to test my cold weather clothes finally. All I needed was a few layers, and I was fine. I wore an AO T shirt, with a Cap 3 Patagonia zip neck over it, and a Marmot Precip jacket with a Nat Geo buff and an AT cap. I was toasty, At night in town, my Columbia travel shirt or my cap 3 zip neck, combined with my Patagonia vest worked great. For carrying my gear, I alternate between my Mountain Hardware Enterprise pack, and my small Patagonia pack. Both worked well (with my shorts, of course). Word of advice... If you are going to travel for 3 weeks and walk on cobble stones all the time, buy a good pair of walking shoes/light weight hiking boots. My New Balance sneakers worked great for a while, but did not hold up to the abuse, the mid sole is squashed on the outside & I walk crooked.

Tomorrow we take the cog up to another lookout, I will let you know how it goes.

Russ

Staying busy. . .well, some of us are!

2009-09-21T04:04:00.000-07:00

We apologize for not updating the blogger more often, but we've been really busy at Appalachian Outfitters for the past few months. Thanks to our wonderful, loyal customers AO finds its business sales UP for the past 3 months in a row! Diana and Jonathan have been working their fannies off, but the work is so rewarding and fulfilling that it hardly feels like work at all. Here's an update of what's new at the shops:

Appalachian Outfitters welcomes a new employee (and several that have returned and are eager to work):
-Greg Geyer hails from Tacoma, Washington where he managed a highly-technical outdoor store for 11 years. We are thankful to have him and thankful for his vast product knowledge, integrity, and dedication to meeting customers' needs.

-Nathan Boroughs returned from working on the Nantahala River this summer and is continuing his college studies this fall. Many of you may not recognize him because he has cut his hair. . .that's right, the dreadlocks are history!

-Pam Lasier returns to work after several months of assisting her brother who underwent serious cancer treatment in Chicago. Anyone who knows Pam can appreciate what a wonderful help she would be to anyone in need, and we are grateful to have her back.

-Ashley McGowin gave birth to her first child in July and loves working just a couple of days a week (sometimes she even brings little Samantha with her).

Stop by and say hello to these folks and check out what's new.

Russ in Europe

Whether you know him as Russ, "the guy with the knee brace," "the old guy that thru-hiked," or as "Hot-Dog," he is fortunate enough to be on a Rhine river cruise in Europe. Here are some pics that he sent:

Russ says: "Well, we are in Amsterdam, and in between the rain showers it is awesome... During the rain showers it's cold and windy (and still awesome, because I have my Marmot Precip jacket and Columbia travel shirt to keep me warm!). Shari and I walked at least 3-4 miles, and then relaxed at a cafe, rode on a couple Trams, shopped, and took a canal tour. Not a bad first day without sleep... Time to get caught up on sleep & take the town by storm tomorrow (we will be going to museums, markets, walk along more canals, and find some Dutch beer to taste!). The spot unit is showing part of where we went today, but in between all the buildings & sliding down in my pack, it missed a lot. Will try to do better tomorrow. Did I mention this place is awesome? More tomorrow!"

Well, it has been known to rain just a bit in the Netherlands!

Russ will keep us up-to-date with pics from his trip regularly.

Headin' for the hills!!

2009-07-04T15:54:00.000-07:00

Diana and I just wanted to publicly thank Kate Lasier for her incredible work on our blogger, for sending us a bunch of great pictures of her European adventure, and for allowing all of us to "follow" her progress with the SPOT device. Kate, we are very proud of you!

We also wanted to let everyone know that we are flying out to Denver tomorrow morning and will be backpacking in the Maroon Bells/Snowmass wilderness area for 4 days. Many of you know that Jonathan (and a few close friends) went out there 4 or 5 years ago around Labor Day and got POUNDED with snow and colder-than-expected temperatures. Diana expressed much interest doing the same hike, but politely requested that we hike in milder weather! You may follow our little trip via this blog, or you may "track us live" through our website (as we will be carrying the SPOT device for our trip).

Finally, we wanted to make all of you aware of the "DOG DAYS OF SUMMER" sale going on now through July, 15th at both Appalachian Outfitters' locations.

ALL SUMMER CLOTHING is 20% OFF

GREAT DEALS ON TEVA & KEEN SANDALS

SEVERAL SELECTED HIKING SHOES AND BOOTS ON SALE TOO!

(We figure, "while the cat's away. . .")

We look forward to seeing you soon.

2009-06-15T04:04:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!
I am currently in Prague, but have just spent about a week in Paris and 2 days in Vienna. Paris was lovely. I ended up meeting up with some friends from Clemson University and traveling with them for the week. One of the guys has an apartment in Paris which became our main hub for the week. We did most of the main tourist attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sacre Couer, the Louvre, ate crepes, baguettes with cheese, drank wine... It was also really nice to be able to do a few off the beaten track things too. We ended up eating lunch in the parks a lot and went to the Chantilly chateau just outside of Paris. They had beautiful gardens where we explored in a labyrinth for a while and walked throughout the chateau itself. It was a nice break from all of the crowds in the city. It was sad leaving Paris, but it's been nice to see some new places again.
I ended up traveling to Vienna with two of my friends from Clemson University, Boykin Lucas and Kevin Ferguson. We took an interesting overnight train from Paris to Vienna, which I think we all could agree on the fact that it was not one of our more enjoyable moments. We stayed at a pretty cool hostel with a private kitchen and super friendly staff. The second day in Vienna, we met up with my old roommate Catherine Cotrupi and her friend from Bratislava. We spent the afternoon exploring on the outskirts of the city at one of the Hapsburg's palaces. It was absolutely stunning. I have never seen anything like it. There were acres of gardens with old Roman ruins, mazes, fountains, statues, ponds... It was the highlight of my trip to Vienna. We could have easily spent the day there. After the palace, Catherine and I went to this incredible market and dinned on apple strudel and dried fruit. We had to put fictitious blinders on to keep from spending everything we had in the market. The smells alone were enough to keep you there all day. Once we had enough control over our senses, we met back up with the boys and Catherine's friend took us all out for authentic Mexican food. It was another great gastronomic experience.
After Vienna, Kevin and I took a train to Prague to stay with David and Sarah Baker, friends of mine from the States. They are currently working at the CzechInn hostel. This has been the nicest hostel I have ever stayed in and would recommend it hands down to anyone. The staff is amazing, the building is super clean and inviting, and the breakfast puts cornflakes and white bread to shame (that's been the staple at most hostels so far when breakfast is served). When we arrived in Prague, we went to the Czech National water polo championship game to watch some of their friends play. I have never been to a water polo game before and it was a neat experience. I think I would drown if I had to play that sport! I don't know how they do it. After the game, we went out with some of their friends for drinks and called it a night. Today, Kevin and I spent the day exploring the Prague Castle, the Jewish old town, and parts of the river. Prague is a beautiful place with an incredible past. There are signs of their hardship everywhere that you go. We decided that pain,suffering, and religion are a major reoccurring theme in this city.
Tomorrow I am off to Germany to visit my old roommate for a few days and get to know Bavaria.
Cheers for now,
Kate

Gear Review:
Seeing as it has been rainy and cold on and off in Vienna and Prague, the Patagonia H2NO jacket has been a blessing to have. It's a breathable lightweight jacket that is easy to pack in my day bag. I've been using it as a windbreaker at times too. Having long arms and a long torso, it is hard to find jackets that fit well, but this jacket fits like a glove. The sleeves extend half way down my hands and the waist line sits comfortably below my hips. It's a slim fitting jacket so there is no excess bulk to be fighting around with. It was a great last minute decision and makes for a perfect rain coat!

Paris!

2009-06-15T04:03:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!
After spending two and a half days in Amsterdam, I grabbed a train and made my way to Paris. Amsterdam was a lot of fun and a beautiful city. As previously mentioned, I was staying at this bizarre campground about thirty minutes outside of the city. It turned out to be quite nice though. I was able to rent a bike one day ( an orange one, very Dutch) and ride along the country side for a bit. As it turns out, I am not a very confident bike rider nor am I very good at it! There were a few close calls and lots of wobbling and swerving around! I did manage to make it to the next village and have lunch at a cute sidewalk cafe followed by a trip to the market for dinnner supplies. While in the city of Amsterdam, I went to the Van Gogh museum and saw the original Starry Night painting along with a few of his other works such as the Potatoe Eaters and some of his twilight paintings. It was a really neat exhibit. I spent the rest of my day walking through the streets looking at all of the different canals, going to the main park in the city and eating an ice cream cone; checking out the main sites from my tourist info map, and finishing the day off with a tour of the Red Light District. The Red Light district was a very interesting place with lots going on as you might imagine.My tour guide was great and kept our attention by telling fascinating stories and brief tidbits of the history behind the district. It was quite informative and I would highly reccomend it
On my last day in Amsterdam, I ended up touring qround with three other Americans from Illinois. We tried to take a canal boat tour, but they were full, so instead we trucked it on foot making up our own tour. I spent the day carrying my pack around because the lockers at the train station were not working. It was quite interesting making my way through the crowds with it. I felt like a bull in a china shop and was glad to be able to get rid of it for the train ride.
In Paris, I am staying with my friend Thibault and will be doing some sight seeing today and then hanging out with his friends tonight.

Gear Review:
So far everything has been holding up just fine. The more time I spend walking with my pack on, the more I realize the importance of packing it well in the mornings. I have yet to figure out a system that works 100% for me, but am still trying. I do really enjoy the lightness of the Granite Gear Nimbus Meridian pack, and it's easy front zip capabilities.

That's all for now, take care,
Kate

2009-06-01T05:01:00.000-07:00

These are the last few pictures from Amsterdam. After that, I headed toward Paris via the Swiss Alps!

In swiss alps heading towards austria. Lots of snow everywhere, but not cold.

The pass we drove through on way to Scoul, Switzerland.

I was so glad Iwas not the driver!

Hot mineral baths/spa in Scoul, Switzerland-pretty amazing!

Still heading toward Paris with my new favorite shoes! Go tigers :) have worn them every day and haven't had one blister.

Welcome To Amsterdam!

2009-05-28T03:31:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!
I am currently in Amsterdam after a quick 10 hr train ride from Chur, Switzerland. I've spent the past 5 days with friends of the family in Switzerland and had the best time. In Zurich, I stayed with the Riet and Johanna Theus for the weekend and went on a day trip to Mt. Rigi in the Alps and then explored Zurich and the lake on Sunday. I then took the train to Chur, where I stayed with Riet's sister Ursina and her family. Chur is a small town of about 30,000 people and is about 1.5 hours south of Zurich by train. Once again, the Theus family went above and beyond to accomodate me. Thank you. Ursina and I took a day trip through the alps to a spa/bath located in Scoul on tuesday and it was AMAZING! I was relaxing in the heated pools looking at the alps and basking in the sun for an afternoon thinking to myself, "it doesn't get much better than this!" Driving there was also an experience where I was glad to be the passenger, not the driver. Talk about steep and windy roads! Overall, my experiences in Switzerland were amazing and I would gladly go back at any time. It has been my favorite spot so far.
As previously mentioned, I am now in Amsterdam and it is cold and rainy. I feel as if I am going to be repeating the weather that Jonathan and Diana had on their trip to the Netherlands! I am staying at a campground about 30 minutes outside of the city called Lucky Lake. It is definitely going to be one of the more different places I will stay at. There are these huge Dr. Seus-like animal statues around and you sleep in either campers or in a "dorm," which more or less reminds me of my camp days as a young kid. Outhouses for bathrooms and an outdoor kitchen surrounded by hammocks and a lake. It almost looks like a gypsie village. It's quirky, but looks like a fun place to spend three nights.
Well, I will write more after I have explored the city for a bit, but wanted to give everyone a quick update while I have the chance. Take care,
Kate

More Swiss photos!

2009-05-28T03:25:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Switzerland!

2009-05-28T03:17:00.000-07:00

23 May 2009

Hey All,
Well, I finally was able to make it to Zurich after a 23-hour train adventure across Spain, France, and Switzerland. The original train that I was supposed to take to Zurich was apparently cancelled due to a strike or something silly like that in France. That being said, I was rerouted to the Spainsh/French border where I was to take a train to Strasbourg overnight and then catch a morning train to Zurich. Pretty simple, except for the fact that in the middle of the night my train in France split in half and I was on the wrong half. I had no idea this was going to happen and was quite surprised when the conductor told me I had to get off of the train because we were at our final destination- not Strasbourg. I had absolutely no idea where I was. I could have been on the western coast of France for all I knew. It turns out I was in this town called Metz near Luxembourg, Germany and Belgium. My next problem was how I was going to get to Zurich where family friends were supposed to be picking me up in a few hours! I once again ran into a language barrier problem, but was able to find a German girl to assist me in getting onto the right train this time and making sure that it was DIRECT to Zurich.
Switzerand is absolutely stunning. I am staying with the Theus family, friends of my grandfather's from his college days. They couldn't be more hospitable. Today we went hiking in the Alps at Mt. Rigi. We went with their daughter and her family and had a wonderful afternoon. It was like being on a film set sponsored by Deuter! It apperead that if you were not carrying a Deuter pack, you were clearly not in style! We ended up riding a train to the top and then walked around for a while appreciating the great views surrounding us. There were lakes everywhere and snow-covered peaks beyond those. We had a picnic lunch and lounged around listening to the many cows and their bells that dotted the mountains. Tonight we are grilling out with the entire family and then tomorrow I am going to explore downtown Zurich. The Swiss definitely know how to eat right, that's for sure. I love the sausages, the yogurtish things with berries that I just can't get enough of and of course the chocolate! Don't worry Scott, I will ship yours home so that it doesn't melt, and so that I don't eat it myself. :)

Gear Review:
Good news, the Chaco Entradas are not the source of my sore feet which makes them once again my favorite shoe of the trip! I am also extremely grateful for all of the Outdoor Research mesh stuff sacks, they have made finding my clothes much easier and have helped to keep the smell out. The Patagonia underwear is also a great treasure for walking around in all day and staying comfortable. I would definitly recommend them to any female traveler. They dry super-quick after washing too!
Well, that's all for now, I am going to go and enjoy my view of the alps and eat some sausages!
Cheers,
Kate

Spain continued. . .

2009-05-28T02:47:00.000-07:00

18 May 2009

Hey Everyone,
Today is my last day/morning in Madrid and I am off to Barcelona. So far my experience here in Spain has been great. I have met many fellow friendly travelers who are more than willing to let me tour around with them for a few hours during the day or at night. The hostel has been lovely; it is a great place to meet other people and have some down time. (I must confess that eating Cornflakes out of a coffee mug with warm milk has been a new experience for me though.)
Yesterday, I took a day trip to Toledo, Spain, which is about a 30 minute bus ride south of Madrid. Toledo was beautiful, and with so much character and charm; I instantly fell in love with it. Toledo is a small city on the Tajo river that sits up on a hill. I ended up meeting a couple on the bus, Sandra King and Carlos Fernandez, and they let me explore the city with them. Both of them spoke fluent Spanish, which was a must, and were great company. Toledo is full of tiny cobblestone streets that wind upwards at extreme inclines. There are cathedrals everywhere and the entire city is enclosed by walls. When you reach the top of the city, the views are amazing and well worth the effort. Toledo is located in La Mancha, or as I like to refer to it, "Don Quijote Land".
Last night, I went to a drum circle in Retiro park with a fellow traveler from Duke University who happened to live in Madrid about a year ago. It was an experience to say the least. There must have been at least 150 people or more accuratley Spanish hippies all dancing around to the beat of drums and cow bells and shakers on this national monument. I can´t say that that would fly too well in the states. Vendors were also selling beer out of trash cans and folks were smoking a lot of hash (Iguess that hippies will be hippies!). We did some serious "people-watching" for a bit and then decided to grab a quick meal and call it a night. Don´t be fooled by that though, calling it a night does not mean you'll be tucked-in by 10 pm, I find it difficult to get to bed by 12:30 because they don´t do dinner here until 10ish at the earliest!

Overall, my experience in Toledo was wonderful, and I really feel as if I have gotten to know the city in the brief time I was here. Walking the city (and getting lost multiple times) is a great way to get the feel for a place!
Now for my gear review:
I have been wearing the Chaco Entrada shoes around since I left home, and hands down love them! They are super-comfortable to walk in all day, whether it is on cobblestones, gravel, or pavement. Wearing them while carrying my Granite Gear backpack (weighing 30lbs full) has not been a problem either. I love being able to get into it like a suitcase and not have to take everything out of the top when I need to get to something. It sits well on my hips and hasn´t been a pain to carry around, thanks Jonathan!
Well that is all for now. I hope everyone is doing well and had a great weekend!
Adios,
Kate

20 May 2009

Greetings from Barcelona!
I have been hanging out in Barcelona since Monday and am really enjoying my time here. I´m staying at an awesome hostel (Yellow Nest) that is in a quiter district in the city. The hostel iself is a really social place where I have been able to meet many travelers my age from around the world. On Tuesday, I took a bus tour to three destinations outside of Barcelona. The first stop was at the Torres winery, an hour west of the city. It was absolutely beautiful with vineyards everywhere and charming staff. We were given a tour of the property and a free wine tasting at the end. The next stop on our trip was at Montserrat. Montserrat is located about 40 K outside of Barcelona and is known for the thousand-year old monastery located there. This was probably my favorite stop along the trip because it allowed for me to do some hiking and exploring in the park. The rock formations were like nothing I have ever seen before. The rocks are almost bubbly looking and take on the most unique shapes. Our last stop was at Sitges. Sitges is a former fishing village that has turned into a popular beach destination along the mediterranean. We had an english speaking guide who took us on a walking tour of the old part of town for a while and filled us in on the history and architecture of the town. We were then turned loose to do as we pleased for a bit. That being said, I ended up kicking off my shoes on the beach and getting some sun. I ended up meeting this really nice father and son from Kansas on the tour and joined them for dinner in downtown Barcelona later that night. It was a great way to end my day.
Today, Wednesday, I met up with this guy named Duncan that I met at the Barcelona airport on Monday. He´s from the UK and teaches english here in Barcelona while he moonlights as a DJ at a few of the local clubs. He took me on a tour of the city, mainly Montjuic. There we climbed over 1000m to the top of this hill (neither of us were expecting that intense of a climb) where there were breath taking views of the city, the port, and the mountains. there was this really neat castle at the top too. He filled me in on the history of Barcelona and what it´s like to live here. I then ended up doing some touring on my own and just enjoying the city from various cafes and parks. Tomorrow I am going to be doing some more exploring and then hopefully going to Bern or Zurich Switzerland on an overnight train.
Gear Review:
The Mountain Hardware peddle pusher capri´s are AMAZING! you can change how they fit on your waist for an ideal fit and they have a little bit of stretch to them which makes them perfect for traveling and hiking around. The Chaco entradas are still my favorite shoe of the trip, however, my heels are starting to hurt a bit in them. I don´`t know if this is from the hours of walking in them for the past week and not resting or the shoe itself. I´m going to try my sneakers for a bit this week and see if there is a difference.

I hope everyone is doing well, sorry I haven´t been responding to personal emails, the internet is not cheap in Barcelona and my time is limited.
Have a great evening,
Kate

Follow Kate's European Adventure!

2009-05-18T06:56:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are too busy to travel yourselves (Diana and I often include ourselves in that category), you can follow one of Appalachian Outfitters' employees as she explores Europe. Kate Lasier just graduated from Clemson and she off to see the sights on the continent. Follow her adventures here.

Here are her first few entries:

Day 1 (Departure)

Hey Guys,
Well, I am all packed up and ready for my flight and surprisingly my pack only weighs 24.5 lbs! I'm leaving Greenville tonight at 7 pm and am flying to Atlanta. I then leave Atlanta at 10 pm and, if all goes according to plan, arrive in London tomorrow at noon. For those of you who are interested, you can follow me through Europe by going to http://www.appoutfitters.com/. About half way down on the right hand side of the web page there is an icon that looks like a map and says "track me live," by choosing this option you will then be able to see where I currently am and have been. It uploads to a satellite every 10 minutes. You can also read my blog and see a few pictures on the main website too.
Enjoy your week and I will share more information soon,
Kate

Day 2 (London)
Hey everyone,
Today was my first day in London and I had a blast. The flight over last night went really well and I was able to sleep the entire way, that being said, I haven't felt jet-lagged at all yet! I did your tipical exploring of London at first and then ran into three other backpackers from Clemson and ended up hanging out with them for the rest of the day. We rode the double decker buses and walked ALL over the place.

They were really fun to hang out with and I hope to see them again soon on this trip. I believe they were taking the bus to Scotland tonight. Carrying my pack around all day got old really fast and makes me rethink what I really need/want :). I am looking forward to being able to ditch my bag tomorrow in Madrid and go solo without it. So far everyone has been really nice and helpful and I'm looking forward to a hot shower and a bed in about an hour. I hope everyone's having fun in sunny South Carolina. I'll write more later.
Kate

Day 3 (Madrid)

Hola!
Well yesterday was my first day in Madrid and it was a blast. I arrived shortly after 1:00 and after taking 2 trains and getting lost several times, I eventually found my hostel. Who would have thought to look for street signs on tiles on the sides of buildings? Knowing some Spanish would be a plus because not that many people speak English over here and getting directions is really quite difficult. The hostel I am staying at is very clean with 6 beds in a room, 1 shower, free internet, and free breakfast. It´s very modern looking with black and red walls everywhere. At the hostel, I met a fellow solo traveler from London and we decided to travel together for the day. Her name is Julia and she works for the Museum of Design. The two of us grabbed our metro tickets and went to enjoy the beautiful day and explore the city. Madrid was celebrating San Isidaro day, the patron saint of Madrid, so there were street parades and vendors everywhere. People were dressed up in costumes and there were tons of free events to go and see. Julia and I ended up walking the city and seeing the Palacio Real, which is this HUGE palace with amazing gardens and views of Madrid and the mountains. We then made our way through several plazas, cathedrals, and parks. We stopped at the Templo de Debod, which is a 2nd century BC egyptian temple that Egypt gave to Madrid for their help in archeological digs. It was pretty cool. We ended up kicking off our shoes their and taking a siesta in true Spanish style.
Later that night I met up with Miriam´s friend Flo and we went for tapas and beer. The two of us seemed to walk the entire city plus some, but it was well worth it. We started around 8 pm, but I have to say that the Spainards didn´t even show up until about 11 pm. We called it a night around 12:30 and took the metro back to the hostel.
Ok, so here is my gear review so far. I ended up wearing the Patagonia Duway skirt all day in Madrid and LOVED it. It was perfect for traveling around and staying dry in the heat. The Outdoor Research shirts I have been wearing are also an important item that I am glad to have with me. After wearing my pack around all day, I tend to work up quite a good sweat, but once I take my pack off, my shirt is dry within 2-3 minutes! It´s amazing. I also am using a pack towel by MSR and am really enjoying it. It is quick to dry and folds up really small. It definitely beats having to carry a wet moldy towel around all day! More to come on gear later.
As luck would have it, I am currently stranded in Madrid with no way out, but by plane-that won´t be happening. traveling wouldn´t be traveling without some MAJOR problem right? It turns out that you cannot buy a EuroRail pass in Europe unless you are from the EU, so for you future travelers, make sure you buy it before you come over here. This ranks in my top 5 stupidest mistakes ever! Oh well, I guess I will be getting really personal with this country for a while. I am trying to have my ticket shipped to Barcelona, where Miriam has a friend who I am going to meet up with. I have no idea how to get to Barcelona at this point or when my ticket will be there, but it will be interesting for sure.
I´ll keep you all posted on that front when I know more.
Adios for now,
Kate

Madrid (cont.)

Behind Palacio Real. This huge palace. I loved wearing the Patagonia Duway skirt and Outdoor Research wicking shirts because it was a hot and sweaty day, but I stayed dry all day and no chafing or under-arm sweat!

In front of Templo de Debod.

Templo de Debod. Brought over stone by stone to madrid from egypt as a thanks for their archaeological help.

In "Parque del Buen Retiro". It was a beautiful park; huge. . . reminds me of Central Park, but better-landscaped and cleaner. Went here with 3 other travelers from Phoenix.

Other assorted photos!

Stay tuned for more from Europe!

2009-04-08T03:59:00.000-07:00

WARNING: This shirt can really take you places!

New for Spring 2009, Columbia Sportswear offers customers comfortable, stylish, and fully-functional adventure travel clothing that perfoms as solidly as it looks. The OmniDry Silver Ridge II Plaid is a lightweight, breatheable, quick-grying, UPF40+-rated casual dress shirt that is perfect for trips around the world or for just dashing around town. The shirt is available in both long and short-sleeved versions and comes in 3 great colors.

Match it with an OmniDry Challenger II Pant, and you've got an adventure travel outfit that looks nice enough for dining out AND provides you with the technical features you need from your clothing. Pants are available in several colors and inseam lengths (Appalachian Outfitters is the only local retailer offering inseam length options for its customers), as well as zip-off style (convertible), shorts, or standard pants.

Come in now through April 15th and take 15% off all Columbia Sportswear technical clothing (includes Titanium and PFG products). You MUST mention this ad in order to receive discount.

Weekly Specials at AO for 11-24-08 through 11-30-08

2008-11-24T04:39:00.000-08:00

Howdy Folks and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
The WEEKLY SPECIALS for Appalachian Outfitters on Orchard Park Drive are:

Take 25% Off Patagonia Reversible Snap/Zip Jackets!

Take 40% Off Special Edition Apex Bionic Jackets by The North Face!

Buy any 2 pair of Darn Tough socks and get 1 FREE pair!

Take 40% Off "Flight Series" Softshells by The North Face!

Please note: Discounts valid on in-stock items only; no special orders.

We look forward to seeing you soon, and are THANKFUL for 14 years of your support!

WEEKLY SPECIALS for 11-17-08 through 11-23-08

2008-11-17T02:35:00.000-08:00

Sorry we're a bit late on updating the weekly specials. . .

Okay, here are the "Weekly Specials" for Appalachian Outfitters on Orchard Park Drive:

TAKE 40% OFF ANY TRAIL RUNNING SHOE IN STOCK. . .&. . .

TAKE 30% OFF ANY SANDALS IN STOCK. . .&. . .

BUY ANY PAIR OF SHOES AND GET 40% OFF ANY SOCKS (Limit of 6 pair per person). . .&. . .

BUY ANY PAIR OF SHOES OR BOOTS & TAKE 20% OFF ANY PAIR OF AFTER-MARKET INSOLES (we stock Down-Unders and Arch Molds). . .AND FINALLY. . .

TAKE 25% OFF THE FOLLOWING SHOES:
-Teva Ossagon (men's & women's)
-Dunham Oakdale Sport (men's)
-Any shoes by "The North Face" (men's & women's)
-All KEEN shoes/sandals in stock!

We look forward to serving you soon!

WEEKLY SPECIALS at APPALACHIAN OUTFITTERS!!

2008-11-06T08:06:00.000-08:00

Okay Folks,
This week's "WEEKLY SPECIALS" are:

SAVE 15% OFF ANY SOFTSHELL JACKET IN THE STORE! (Appalachian Outfitters 96 Orchard Park Drive location)

SAVE 15% OFF ANY SHORT-SLEEVED T-SHIRT IN THE STORE! (Appalachian Outfitters West End--Your Life is good Genuine Neighborhood Shoppe)

SPECIALS BEGIN ON 11-06-08 and GO THROUGH 11-12-08 AND ARE VALID ONLY FOR IN-STOCK ITEMS. . .LET THE CRAZINESS BEGIN!

Also, we've got several "gift with purchase" items:
--Buy any jacket or pullover in stock & receive either a FREE key-biner or zip-o-gage
--Buy any Mountain HardWear jacket & receive a FREE custom "Mountain HardWear" CamelBak BPA-free water bottle (we're the only store in the world that sells a "Mountain HardWear water bottle!!)

Gear Review: Granite Gear DryBlock Stuffsacks

2008-10-25T03:18:00.000-07:00

For all of you who followed our trip via this blog will certainly have read that the Dutch weather was wet & windy. All of our gear worked very well, but one product in particular turned out to be worth its weight in gold: Granite Gear DryBlock rolldown stuffsacks! These are pictures of these awesome stuffsacks in action (it is the blue thing strapped to the top of my bike rack on a particularly harsh weather day). Diana and I both used these stuffsacks as external drybags and internal organizers; they performed beyond our expectations! We have a variety of sizes to choose from as well as an ultra-light version or a more rugged version (the ultralights are probably best-suited for use inside a pack, while the beefier version will work perfectly with your backpack both externally and internally). More reviews to come. . .

Three Cheers for a GREAT STAFF!

2008-10-25T03:11:00.000-07:00

Diana and I cannot believe that we've been home for over a month. . .who would have thought going on vacation would have resulted in so much work upon our return! I guess that is the life of the small business owner. Actually our staff performed flawlessly while we were away and we sincerely thank them for all of their efforts; we quite literally could not have taken such a trip had they not been ready, willing, and able to step-up & manage things! It is wonderful to have such a talented and devoted staff. . .what can we say: WE LOVE YOU GUYS!

"truly difficult cycling conditions"

2008-09-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

We rode out of Sneek on Thursday and pedalled across the aufsliutsdijk (30+kms on a dike). The weather was absolutely perfect and sunny with light winds...that is until we turned south toward Hoorn. A strong wind blowing directly in our faces brought driving rain and truly difficult cycling conditions. A local cyclist saw us & asked us where we were going; when I said "Hoorn?", he paused and said, "Hoorn?...Sheet!...No, dis ees Medimblik". We were wet & cold & we just wanted a roof over our heads, so we said, "Okay, Medimblik is good!". The local VVV (tourist information) booked a room at a local guest house & we went straight there.
The next morning we began our ride toward Hoorn under dark skies, and the weather quickly deteriorated into driving rain with fierce headwinds. After becoming thoroughly soaked and frustrated by more rain, we turned the bikes toward Alkmaar to cash some Amex travellers cheques. From Alkmaar, we headed toward Haarlem, but were forced off the bikes by more driving rain and dropping temperatures; we found shelter in a family-run hotel in Castricum. We ate fried hamburgers and French fries for dinner (hey, we're on vacation after all). The next morning we pedaled away from the hotel under ominous skies that began spitting rain within 15 minutes of our departure, and headed for Haarlem. Diana found a fabulous B&B just out of town & we had a relaxing (read "warm & dry") evening there. Today was spent seeing the sites of Haarlem, taking pictures, and drinkingcoffee & tea on the Grote Market in Haarlem-- it has been wonderful.
More pictures will be posted upon our return.

It's Hard to Believe that it has been a whole week!

2008-09-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

Pictures from our journey so far. We are in Sneets at a library which is about to close. We thought we'd share a few photos from the trip so far. We're having a wonderful time in the rain and the sunshine. It's a beautiful country with friendly, helpful people. We'll make more entries soon. So far all of our gear is working perfectly. Even on cold and rainy days we've been comfortable. Because of limited internet access, we will greatly enhance this blog and the photo album when we return. Thanks for following along...

This is how the bikes look before assembly

Assembly

Outside the apartment in Amsterdam.

Traveling out in the country. Sometimes it rained!

Navigating Cranking over the bicycle ferry to cross a canal.

At the Kruller-Muller Museum.

Leaving our hotel in Ede. It started raining 5 minutes after this.

Heading out for dinner in Epe. More rain.

A typical sign post showing the numerous bike paths. These are handy when things get confusing.

Riding in the sunshine yesterday!

In Heerenveen on Tuesday. Walking along the canal.

Tilting @ Windmills

2008-09-09T14:49:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Kampen on Monday afternoon after enjoying mostly fair conditions through the day of cycling. We discovered the wind that turns all of these windmills. As we approached Kampen dark skies loomed. Just as we arrived the rain began and it poured for half an hour. We took refuge at the train station before entering into town. We stopped at the VVV information center and they directed us to a wonderful B&B. We toured the medieval streets and had a picnic dinner in the park.

On Tuesday the weather turned and we were treated with blue skies and warm temperatures. We cycled about 88 kilometers to Herenveen. Much of the afternoon we spent navigating rural roads and trails. Some of the trails were hard-packed single-track dirt and stone. This takes a lot of concentration on 28mm tires carrying 35 pounds of equipment on the bikes. It took about 5 and a half hours to travel and navigate.

Everyone we have encountered has been friendly. When we stop to check the map, strangers approach and ask if we are lost and offer assistance. Meeting the locals has been one of our greatest pleasures along the way.

And The Adventure Continues

2008-09-08T06:39:00.000-07:00

Diana & I enjoyed our time in Amsterdam on Wednesday & Thursday, but were glad to get on the bikes and pedal toward Ede. We thought that following the numbered bicycle paths would be a piece-of-cake, but we soon came to realize that the entire country is covered with paths, some with numbers and some without (and some numbered paths that seem to evaporate into nothingness when we enter a town). The first day of cycling was 118km in length, but because we became lost about a dozen times, the ride took 9.5 hours to complete. Saturday we visited the magnificent Kroller-Muller museum near Appeldoorn. Yesterday we rode 87kms in the rain and wind. Discovered a quaint hotel in the town of Epe & took refuge from the foul weather. Today we head toward Kampen via Zwolle--we hope the sun decides to join us!
More to come...

We made it to Amsterdam!

2008-09-04T06:23:00.000-07:00

Diana and I made it to Amsterdam yesterday & we love this place! We spent yesterday recovering from the interminable flight over, re-assembling the bicycles, taking a 2-hour nap, walking & cycling through Vondelpark, drinking coffee & tea, and generally exploring a small section of this huge city. The weather here is unpredictable and changes several times throughout the day. It is very similar to late fall weather in Greenville, but there is much more WIND!!
To say that this is a bicycling-based culture is an understatement. Everyone rides bikes here. . .we mean everyone--schoolchildren, pregnant women, businessmen (in their suits), fashion models, folks going to the grocery store, young and old, etc. Every single person we have met here has been friendly and helpful; the Dutch are wonderful! Tomorrow we get on our bikes and pedal toward Ede on the first leg of our tour. Safely getting out of this bustling city with fully-loaded bicycles will certainly be an adventure!
We have attempted to use the "Spot" GPS device & we hope that it is working. We will turn it on as we leave in the morning.

Gear Review: Ritchey BreakAway Cyclo-Cross Bikes

2008-09-02T01:25:00.000-07:00

Anyone that knows the two of us can attest to the fact that at our core, we are gearheads! We just LOVE trying out cool stuff. During the course of this Netherlands trip, we'll be publishing gear & clothing reviews. We feel that when it comes to discerning the merits of a particular technical product, there is no substitute for using that product in real-world environments. For those readers who don't care a whit for product reviews, look for our normal blog entries which (depending upon the availability of the internet in our specific destinations) should be posted almost daily.

For those of you who have never heard of the Ritchey BreakAway line of bicycles, here's a brief overview of why they are so incredible.

The frame actually breaks into 2 pieces that allow the traveling cyclist to pack his/her entire bike (including both wheels, seat, etc.) into a 26"X26"X10" case. The bike is a normal bike with 2 frame unions that are ingenious! The first picture shows what the top frame union looks like (basically the seatpost acts as the stress-bearing member & the two frame pieces-- 1 grey & 1 orange-- are secured to the seatpost using pinchbolts).

The second picture shows the bottom frame union (it is secured by the black split-clamp immediately above the bottom-bracket on the downtube).

If you are an avid cyclist & want to take a top-shelf bike with you on your travels, take a look at the Ritchey BreakAway series! We chose the steel Cyclo-Cross model because it was the best frame for carrying panniers & able to withstand the stresses of loaded touring. The cyclo-cross model also allows you to use fatter 700c tires that make you more stable when navigating rough roads. I (Jonathan) have already logged more that 2600 kms this year on mine, and I love it! It rides just like a normal bike, and in a 60cm frame size weighs in at just 21 pounds! Not too shabby for a bike that fits in airline regulation luggage. Check 'em out at: http://www.ritcheylogic.com

Our Basic Itinerary

2008-08-29T01:31:00.000-07:00

Here's our basic itinerary:

Wednesday 03 September
Arrive in Amsterdam. Re-assemble bicycles & prepare them for tour. Test-ride bikes. Walk around city. Re-pack our panniers. Check out Vondelpark.
Thursday 04 September
Check out museums in Amsterdam. Anne Frank house? Double-check bicycle operation. Find the best route out of town.
Friday 05 September
Leave Amsterdam & cycle toward Ede/Arnhem area (about 100km). Spend night at Hotel en Congrescentrum deReehorst in Ede (telephone: +31-318750300).
Saturday 06 September
Spend day in the National Park De Hoge Veluwe & National Park Veluwezoom (the Kroller/Muller Museum). Return to spend night at Hotel en Congrescentrum deReehorst in Ede (telephone: +31-318750300).
Sunday 07 September
From Ede, cycle towards Arnhem & Nijmegen (oldest city in the Netherlands & home to bicycling museum). Turn north and begin heading toward Deventer.
Monday 08 September
Continue heading north through Zwolle, Kampen, Meppel.
Tuesday 09 September
Explore Friesland.
Wednesday 10 September
Explore Friesland.
Thursday 11 September
Explore Friesland.
Friday 12 September
Ride across 30km dyke (the Afsluitdijk—it turned the Zuiderzee into the Ijsselmeer)
Saturday 13 September
Explore Noord-Holland
Sunday 14 September
Explore Noord-Holland.
Monday 15 September
Finish exploring Noord-Holland. Return to Apartment in Amsterdam. Clean ourselves & clothes. Continue exploring city.
Tuesday 16 September
Re-pack everything & continue exploring city.
Wednesday 17 September
Fly back home.
Thursday 18 September
Return to work.

Just a couple of days before we go!

2008-08-29T00:47:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, we leave for the Netherlands on Tuesday 02 September for our long-anticipated two-week (that's completely unheard-of for 2 work-a-holics like ourselves!) vacation. Diana and I thought that all of you following this little adventure might like to know what we're packing in our bicycle saddlebags, so here's Jonathan's packing list:

Bicycle Clothing
3 pr Pearl Izumi cycling bibs (http://www.pearlizumi.com/)
3 s/s Pearl Izumi jerseys (http://www.pearlizumi.com/)
5 pair Thor-lo socks (http://www.thorlo.com/)
Pearl Izumi Arm warmers (http://www.pearlizumi.com/)
Hincapie Sportswear Knee warmers (http://www.hincapie.com/)
2 pair cycling gloves
Full-fingered gloves
Patagonia Capilene 1 t-shirt (http://www.patagonia.com/)
Toe covers
Pearl Izumi Optik Vest
Mountain HardWear Butter Beanie (http://www.mountainhardwear.com/)
Marmot Rain shell (http://www.marmot.com/)

Technical Travel Clothing (Lightweight, Wicking, Fast-Drying stuff!)
Mountain HardWear Canyon shirt (http://www.mountainhardwear.com/)
Columbia Silver Ridge shirt (http://www.columbia.com/)
1 SmartWool Polo shirt (http://www.smartwool.com/)
4 short-sleeved synthetic t-shirts
1 pr Outdoor Research nylon shorts (http://www.outdoorresearch.com/)
1 pr Outdoor Research nylon pants (http://www.outdoorresearch.com/)
1 pr Royal Robbins convertible pants (http://www.royalrobbins.com/)
Patagonia Powerstretch Jacket (http://www.patagonia.com/)
Patagonia Baggies shorts (http://www.patagonia.com/)
Marmot PreCip Cap (http://www.marmot.com/)
6 pair Patagonia underwear (http://www.patagonia.com/)
Eyeglasses

Bicycle Gear
RudyProject "Rydon" Cycling Glasses (http://www.rudyproject.com/)
Timex Heart Rate Monitor (http://www.timex.com/)
Specialized Cyclometer (http://www.specialized.com/)
Specialized Bike Helmet (http://www.specialized.com/)
Pearl Izumi Cycling Shoes (http://www.pearlizumi.com/)
Tool Kit
2 extra tubes
1 extra tire (http://www.conti-online.com/)
Planet Bike Fenders (http://www.planetbike.com/)
Blackburn Rear Bike Racks (http://www.blackburndesign.com/)
Bells
PlanetBike Mini Bike Lights (http://www.planetbike.com/)
Long Bike Cable Lock
Energy Food & Drink
Baker’s Breakfast Cookies (http://www.bbcookies.com/)
CamelBak Elixir (http://www.camelbak.com/)
Hammer Heed (http://www.hammernutrition.com/)
Honey Stinger Gel (http://www.honeystinger.com/)
Hammer Bars (http://www.hammernutrition.com/)
Jelly Belly Sport Beans (http://www.sportbeans.com/)
Bike Pump
Water Bottles
Ortlieb Waterproof Saddlebags (http://www.ortliebusa.com/)
Ortlieb Waterproof Handlebar Bag (http://www.ortliebusa.com/)
Ortlieb Waterproof Underseat pouch (http://www.ortliebusa.com/)
Several extra nuts, bolts, screws, washers, etc.

Other Items
SPOT GPS Tracking Device (http://www.findmespot.com/)
Earplugs
Telephone (courtesy of Heath Quinnelly at Sprint/Nextel) THANKS MAN!
Toiletries
Cameras & Waterproof cases
Small Compass
Emergency Whistle
Maps & guidebooks
iPod
Charging devices for everything
Several GraniteGear Drysacks (http://www.granitegear.com/)
Aloksaks for document protection (http://www.watchfuleyedesigns.com/)
Eagle Creek Security Travel Document Holders (http://www.eaglecreek.com/)
The North Face Spectrum 33 tent (http://www.thenorthface.com/)
Cocoon Air Pillow (the best we've ever seen!) (http://www.designsalt.com/)
Marmot Lightweight sleeping bag (http://www.marmot.com/)
Big Agnes Aircore sleeping pad (http://www.bigagnes.com/)
Silk Sleeping Bag Liner (http://www.designsalt.com/)
Emergency Blanket (http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/)
Epi-Pen

Obviously, Diana's list may look a bit different, but just realize that we'll be carrying everything we need for two weeks on our bikes. Since the country is quite windy and it rains more than 300 days-a-year, our outerwear will assuredly be put to good use.

Look for more updates in the next few days.

Getting it together

2008-08-25T00:52:00.000-07:00

As all of you know, planning, researching, and packing for an adventure is half of the fun. This weekend was spent installing bike racks, stuffing clothing into dry sacks (the Netherlands receives over 300 days of rain per year), discussing clothing and outerwear choices, developing a nutritional plan, looking at maps, and noting the items we still lack. With just over 7 days before we leave, we're really getting it together.

Diana and I have been training for this trip all year, and are in relatively solid shape for it. We plan on averaging about 50 miles a day while we're there (which isn't bad if you consider that we have all day to ride). While the Netherlands is pancake-flat, there's a reason that it is a land of many windmills. . .IT IS WINDY! Several weeks ago, a woman who lived there for many years was in Appalachian Outfitters and was telling me that the wind direction there is the stuff of legend--no matter which direction you're going, it feels like you have the wind in your face. As any bicyclist will tell you, that's like climbing a slow hill!

On another note, this trip could not have been possible at all without the following folks really coming through for us:

-all of our employees who not only are willing to work while we are gone, but actually pooled their money and are funding accommodations for several nights while we are there! We're sending out a big THANK YOU to all of our INCREDIBLE STAFF (you guys are like family);
-the helpful crew at Sunshine Cycle Shop in Greenville who built our bikes and have provided invaluable advice on service, spares, and bicycling accessories;
-the folks at Ritchey Logic who make one of the neatest, best-riding travel frames on the planet that actually fit into a regulation-sized, hard-sided travel case that won't incur airline overcharges;
-Ortlieb USA for making some of the most well-thought-out bicycling gear we've ever seen (panniers, handlebar bags, seat pouches, etc);
-Rob Robinson, our CamelBak sales-rep, who provided us with CamelBak Elixir tablets for our electrolyte replacement;
-Hammer Nutrition products for making some of the best energy replenishment exercise products money can buy;
-Erin Baker's Breakfast Cookies (great energy, great taste, organic, not too much sugar) and;
-OmniMap resources for making the finest maps available to us.

Later on this week, we'll publish our packing lists on this blog so you'll know what's going with us. Obviously, all of our clothing came from Appalachian Outfitters, but there are several items in particular that we REALLY LOVE. More on that to come. . .

Two weeks to go!

2008-08-20T03:37:00.000-07:00

Diana and I leave for the Netherlands in two weeks & we can't wait! We've been training for this vacation all year & we know it will be an incredible experience. For those of you who do not know about the trip, we'll be bring our incredible RITCHEY BREAK-AWAY BICYCLES to Amsterdam, re-assemble them, install fenders, rear racks, panniers, etc. and set off on a 550+ mile bicycle tour of the Netherlands.
If you are interested in following us while we're there, stay tuned to this blog for regular updates.